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World Cup Daily Recap

SPAIN'S REIGN ENDS IN PAIN

The fact that Spain's World Cup ended in the Maracana shouldn't surprise anyone. That it ended a solid three weeks prior to when the final will be played there? That's a different story. The defending champions are two-games-and-out after a second straight drab showing. Full credit to Jorge Sampaoli's Chile, which took the game to Spain, capitalized on errors and fully earned the three points and a place in the knockout round. And while attention will turn to Chile and its attempt to go on a deep run while looking every bit the part, the focus remains on Spain. As Jonathan Wilson writes, Wednesday marked the sudden end to a dominant era for La Furia Roja.